At Westbury Station, artwork by Darryl Westly, "Illuminations," pays homage to important moments in the area’s history. Westly blends archival imagery and motifs from Westbury’s past into lush, hyper-realistic dreamscapes at this renewed station. "Illuminations," based on original paintings by Westly, was translated into laminated glass and powder finished steel located throughout the new overpass towers, the station’s ticket office, and two platform shelters, as part of Long Island Rail Road’s Main Line Expansion project. 

Fabricated by Glasmalerei Peters Studio, the glass artwork imbues vibrant scenes with lush colors featuring designs inspired by wampum belt designs, racecars, Tuskegee Airmen, farmstands, and the local children’s library. Throughout the over 750 square feet of laminated glass panels, Westly tells a dynamic visual story of Westbury by depicting the old Cream Blossom Diary farm, local houses of worship, a Tuskegee airman, and the Hicks’ estate and nurseries. Joining divergent narratives, the glass compositions speak to broader themes of inclusivity and connection. Bold, dynamic colors and grand architectural elements frame scenes of Westbury’s past while leaving areas transparent for commuters to reflect on their role in Westbury’s present.

The metal artwork design on either side of the station ticket office is also rich with symbolism. Fabricated by KC Fabrications, the metal artwork graphically represents motifs seen in the glass artworks like the racecars and horses referencing the old Roosevelt Raceway, airplanes nodding to the area’s ties to aviation, and boats alluding to the migration of Quakers to the area. Chain-link patterns framing the metal panels take on the dual meaning of the history of enslavement and the bonds that now hold diverse communities together. Interspersed with decorative flower and vine motifs, the artwork offers a warm impression of a garden trestle suspended in time. 
 

Darryl Westly’s work reflects a study on the beauty of duality. His process-driven, allegorical paintings fluctuate between representation and abstraction. Layering hyperrealism and architectural elements with idealized landscapes and art historical references, Westly’s work is steeped in research, context, and explorations of representation and identity. Westly holds a BFA from Cooper Union. His work is exhibited widely nationally and abroad.